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help adding center channel

T

Tdaut

New Member
Hey all,

My setup rn is:

Tv —> Schiit bifrost 2 —> Schiit Freya S —> Schiit vidar —> goldenear forcefield 3 sub —> goldenear T7’s

Id like to add a center channel and avoid having to get an AV receiver or soundbar.

As i understand it, id need a center channel speaker, additional power amp, and a different DAC for my tv that can decode into 3.1, 5.1 or 7.1 - am I correct?
 
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Seems like a better option would be an AVR for surround and your current set up for 2 channel. An amp switcher would then allow switching between stereo and 5.1.
 
I agree, but with a slightly different approach.

With the Freya S, having a passive mode, it could be used effectively as a HT bypass config if you got a HT receiver/AVR that has pre-outs for the front left and right channels.

You'd route the front left and right for surround duty through your current system, then use the amp in the receiver for the center channel (and surrounds if you ever decide to add those).
 
You can't get a "real" center channel without an AVR. That's like trying to gen stereo out of a mono amplifier.

You might be able to kludge some sort of summing network to combine two channels, not unlike what's done for a subwoofer, but it won't be a real center channel.

and, no, a "Y" cable won't do it.
 
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You can get a mono signal that cancels the ambient signal of stereo by combining the L&R channels. But it has to be a buffered output to prevent canceling the stereo signal to the left and right channels making everything mono. The AVR or a pre-owned early Dolby Digital processor pre-amp is the easies. . With the processor all you need is an identical mono amp and an identical speaker for the center. There are a lot of movies where the rear channels are so fake and contrived I just turn the side and rear speakers off and run the fronts only. Especially for concert videos. Though I mixed sound for live concerts I never liked the experience in large venues, indoor and out door stadiums, coliseums and sports parks.
 
Hi all,

So I now have a center channel and an AVR. I would ideally like to use my schiit equipment for my mains. thats the vidar --> the freya --> sources.

my plan is to repair a broken vidar i have and then use them as monoblocks for my speakers.

I've tried several things to hook my avr up to the freya and use it basically as a source (it seems like it should work -- in my head anyway). That way the center will work when the input is selected on the freya for movies/TV.

I need the center bridge on the rear connected because without it i get no signal to the center channel but I've removed all the other bridges. Someone on reddit suggested i needed RCA Y splitters to complete the signal from the Main-in's and the Pre-outs. Tried that and it didnt work ($26 later, lol).

I've realized that i get signal when using the tape out on the AVR to the Freya but then I have to deal with volume matching -- and also the center channel will stay on when i change the input on the freya to listen to music.

I also got signal when taking my freya out of the signal chain. I had to bridge the main-ins and hook my vidar up to the pre outs. It worked well but i bought this avr for super cheap and dont really trust it. its really old and runs really hot and therefore i feel more comfortable using my schiit equipment to run my main speakers and just use the avr for the center channel. As soon as i hook the freya back up using that same configuration, i get no signal to my main speakers. center will still work tho.

Am i missing anything here? anything yall would recommend i try next? Any feedback is appreciated!

Thanks yall!
 
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